We are offering a limited number of winter CSA shares again this fall, for sale starting today. Fall and winter crops are looking good this year, with carrots, beets, spinach, chard, kale, lettuce, salad mix, turnips, etc. off to a good start. We focus primarily on greens production in the winter, using row cover, high tunnels, and greenhouses to produce tons of spinach, pac choi, lettuce, and other greens right through the winter. In addition to the greens, the “Roots, Squash and Greens Share” includes storage crops like Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Irish Potatoes, and acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash, and fresh root crops like turnips, carrots, beets, radishes, etc. The greens, onions, garlic, and fresh roots are almost entirely grown on our farm, using organic practices. Most of the squash, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are purchased from other farms in Missouri and Arkansas, many of which use conventional practices. As always, we make every effort to make sure you are informed about where all your food comes from, and how it is raised.

Head Lettuce in our greenhouse in the winter

Once again this winter we will be distributing shares every other week, rather than weekly, with a break during January. The first distribution day will be Tuesday October 28, with distributions on November 11&25, December 9&23, February 10&24, March 10&24, April 7&21, and May 5. By reducing the number of distributions, we save you all some driving, reduce the cost of delivery, have more time for on-farm projects, and still provide you with an excellent supply of fresh greens and other veggies. There is a break around the holidays, so we can have a little time off, and because that is part of the time when the harvests tend to get pretty slim.

That makes for 12 boxes of veggies, each intended to last you approximately 2 weeks, for a total of 24 weeks of veggies. Cost for the Winter Squash, Roots and Greens Share will be $27/ week, for a total of $650, with half shares costing $15.80/week ($380) and a 1/4 share, for those who are just wanting to get their feet wet in CSA (sort of a sampler size), for just $10/week($240). As in past seasons, you can pay this up front for a discount, or make two payments, with 50% due on sign up, and 50% due by the end of January.

The bread share will be one loaf per distribution, so 12 loaves @$5.50 apiece for the season. Katie Kring, of Katiemade fame, is our baker again this winter. If you need a loaf per week, then feel free to order two shares, and then stick one in the freezer until you’re ready for it.

As always, we require a 12 hour per season workshare commitment from members, meaning that you come to the farm to help us harvest or weed for 12 hours. We do offer a chance to opt out of the workshare by paying a fee of $100 to offset the loss of labor on the farm. We realize that some people are just too busy, or have other reasons for not committing to a workshare, and we don’t want this to keep anyone from joining the CSA.

There are three options for receiving your share this winter:

Pick up will be at the farm Tuesdays from 4-5pm:At Millsap Farm we use a buffet style of pick up, where we clearly label the items in a share and you fill your own share. The farm is 4.5 miles north of Springfield city limits, just off of Glenstone Ave, which becomes Highway H north of Springfield. Click here for a map. One benefit of picking up at this location is you get to connect with the farm and us, the farmers. Many of our members gladly drive weekly so their families have the chance to walk through the fields, cavort with the chickens and see how their food is grown all season long. Many people find this connection drawing them back from year to year, and we really enjoy it too! Additionally, you get to choose your own produce, allowing you to decide which squash or bundle of greens you want.

Home Delivery- to your door step- if you live within city limits of Springfield or Nixa, you have the option of having your CSA share delivered to your door, sometime between 4 and 7p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, for $6 or $7/week, with a one-time container rental fee of $15. (we’ll provide these, and you leave this clean empty container on the porch on tuesday afternoon to be swapped for a full one)

Homegrown Foods pick up This pick-up is located at Homegrown Food store at the corner of Pickwick and Cherry, in the heart of Springfield. There is a $3/week charge for picking up there, plus a $15 container fee. Each week your share will arrive at the store at 4pm, delivered by someone from the farm, and will be there for you to pick-up until 7pm. If you are unable to make it to the store by 7pm, you may call and request that they keep it for you, otherwise it will be assimilated into the store’s inventory.